Valve chamber construction



us 1l, 1931- B.- cgvTRAvls VALVE cHAuBER CONSTRUCTION Filed lay 29. 192e f Z, y A

Patented Aug. 11, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BERTRAIVL C. TRAVIS, F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO 'PACIFIC COPPER AND BRASS WORKS, INCORPORATED, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFOR- 4 i NIA, A CORPORATION 0F CALIFORNIA VALVE CHAMBER CONSTRUCTION Application led'May 29,

This invention has to do with a pump valve chamber construction, and it is an object of the invention to provide a practical, eflicient yand improved valve chamber construction for pumps and the like.

Pumps and similar machines frequently embody valve chambers provided to accommodate one or more valves. For purpose of example, I will refer to the ordinary or usual form of reciprocating or slush pump in which there is a lvalve chest embodying chambers for inlet and discharge valves. The ordinary valve chest or valve chamber construction used in pumps of the class mentioned provides an opening in an exterior wall of the chamber through which the valve is arranged in the chamber. This opening is necessarily large in vorder to pass the valve,

26 and in practice diiculty is experienced in tightly and securely closing the opening after the valve has been arranged in place. The usual construction provided for this purpose includes a cap or cover plate made tight 25 by means of a gasket and held in place by a clamp at the exterior of the chamber. The opening being large the gasket is large and often gives trouble, and the cover plate, be ing held against direct pressure from the in- 4 ab terior of the chamber, the clamping device is necessarily large and cumbersome.

It is an object of this invention to provide a valve chest or valve chamber construction for a pump, or the like, whereby the opening --ss provided for the passageA of the valve is closed without the use of a gasket or a clamping device such as is found in the ordinary pump construction.

Another object of this invention is to proi l vide a valve chamber construction in which 1928. Serial No. 281,472.

can be inserted in or removed from the chamber wlthout removing the plug closure.

The various objects and features of the invention will be best and more fully understood from the following detailed description 0f a typical form ofl the invention applied to an ordinary type of slush pump, throughout which description I refer to the accompanying drawings,in which:

Fig. l is a sectional view of a portion of a pump showinga pump cylinder and a valve chest comprising a plurality of valve chainbers. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailedv sectional view taken at or'through a valve chamber illustrating the construction provided by this invention employed in closing the exterior opening of the chamber, the view showing the closure arranged in place prior to the valve spring being inserted. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the valvespring in position on the valve stem and the construction ready for operation. ,n Fig. 4 is a view taken as indicated by line 4 4 on Fig.V 2. Fig. 5 risa view taken as indicated by line 5 5 on Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 is a view illustrating the manner in which the plug closure may be manipulated in the course of its ,being arranged in place or removed from thevalve chamber.

The present invention is applicable, generally, to valve chests or chambers wherein there is an exterior opening provided for the passage of a valve, or the like. The invention is particularly useful as applied to the ordinary type of slush pump, therefore I have shown a typical application of the invention to a slush pump.

.The pump illustrated in the drawings includes a cylinder 10, a piston 11 slidably {itting the cylinder, a piston rod 12 connected to the piston 11 and projecting through one of the cylinder heads 13, and a valve chest having valve chambers 14 communicating with the ends of the cylinder through ports 15. In Fig. 1 of the drawings I have shown a sectional view at the outlet valve chambers 14.

Each valve chamber includes an opening 16 in one wall, for instance in an `inner wall, for the passage of fluid between the interior of the chamber and the communicating port 15. An exterior wall 18 of the chamber is provided with an opening 19 through which the valve 2O is adapted to'be arranged in and removed from the chamber. I have illustrated a typical form of pump valve' including a sealing rubber 21 to engage a stationary seat 22, a stem 23 projecting from the valve to operate in a guide, and a spring 24 acting to normally yieldingly hold the valve closed with the rubber 21 in engagement with the seat 22.

In accordance with standard practice, the exterior opening 19 of the valve chamber i. opposite, for instance immediately above the valve 20. My present invention has particular reference to the exterior opening 19 of the valve chamber and the closure 25 for the opening 19.

In accordance with my present invention, the opening 19, instead of being an ordinary round opening, is elliptical and is tapered from one end to the other so that it is outwardly convergent. This tapered elliptical hole or opening 19 is proportioned to pass or accommodate the valve 20. l

The plug or closure 25 provided to fit the opening 19 is made elliptical in cross section and is tapered from one end to the other so that its exterior or outer face 28 corresponds in shape to the wall of the opening 19. An outwardly projecting lip or safety flange 29 is provided on the large end of the plug closure. The major axis of the plug, the minor axis of the plug and the length or thickness of the plug are proportioned so that the plug can be turned or manipulated to pass through the opening 19 from the exterior of the chamber into position in the chamber to seat outwardly in the opening 19. The taper provided on the plug and opening allows the plug to seat tightly in the opening, making the .desired joint or connection between the plug and opening, while the safet-y flange 29 on the plug is at all times in position to positively prevent the plug from passing out wardly through the opening 19 when in position to close the opening, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4; of the drawings.

In the particular construction illustrated the stem 23 projects upwardly from the valve to be guided by the plug closure. The construction provided by my invention to accommodate this condition includes a detachable guide 30 carried by the plug closure 25. The guide 30 is screw threaded through anl opening 31 in the cent-er of the plug closure, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The guide has a socket or guideway 32 slidably holding the upper end ofthe stem 23 and is provided at the exterior of the plug closure with a flange 34 adapted to furnish a seal between the guide and the plug closure. In practice a gasket 35 may be arranged between the flange 34 and the outer face of the plug closure as indicated in the drawings. It is to be noted that the guide 30 is comparatively small in diameter and therefore the gasket 35 is small and proportioned so that it provides an ellicient and dependable seal.

The opening 31 in the plug closure is left open as the closure is applied or passed into the chamber, allowing the stem23 to project through the plug closure as illustrated 1n Fig. 6. lith this arrangement the projecting stem 23 is accommodated and therefore does' not interfere with the passage ofl the closure 25 through the opening 19. vWhen the plug closure has been arranged in place the guide 30 can be screw threaded into the opening 31 to engage the stem 23. It is to be understood, of course, that the valve spring 24 may be slid or placed on the stem 23 prior to the guide 30 being arranged in place.

My invention further provides a tightening member 40 adapted to be screw threaded into the opening 31 to engage the upper end of the stem 23 so that vtightening of the member 4 0 in the opening 31 forces the plug closure 25 outwardly to seatl tightly in the opening 19. In Fig. 2 of the drawings I illustrate the tightening member 40 in operating position. i

In practical operation the valve 20 is first arranged through the opening 19 and then the plug closure 25 is manipulated through the opening 19 to seat in the opening. The member 40 canthen be applied to the opening in the plug to make the plug tight in the opening 19, and when the member 40 has been removed the valve spring 24 can be placed on the stem^23 and the guide 30 can be screw threaded into the opening 81. The Constr-uc` tion is thenready for operation.

vWhenever it is necessary to replace a valve spring it is merely necessary to remove, the guide 30, it being unnecessary to disturb the seating of the'plug closure in the opening 19. t

If it is necessary to remove the valve 29 the guide 30 can be removed whereupon the plug closure can be driven or knocked in to remove it from the opening 19 and can then be manipulated to pass outwardly through the opening 19 leaving the opening free to pass the valve 20. I

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that my present invention provides a construction which eliminates entirely large or extensive gasket sealed joints such as are ordinarily found in constructions of this kind and that it entirely eliminates the extensive cumbersome and dangerous clamp construction ordinarily provided for holding caps on valve chambers. It isfurther important to note that the construction provided by this invention is very simple and inexpensive in that it involves a minimum number of parts, which parts are of simple formation and comparatively small.

Having described only a typical preferred form of my invention, I do not wish to limit myself to the specific details set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any changes or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art or fall within the scope of the following claims Having described my invention, I claim:

l. A pump valve chamber having a fluid passage through one wall and an opening in one wall, the opening being inwardly divergent and elliptical in cross sectional -coniiguration, a valve controlling flow through said passage and adapted to be passed through said opening, the valve having a stem, and a tapered elliptical plug proportioned to pass through the opening and to seat outwardly in the opening to close it, the plug having guiding engagement with the stem when seated in the opening.

2. A pump valve chamber having a i'iuid passage through one wall and an opening in one wall, the opening being inwardly divergent and elliptical in cross sectional configuration, a valve controlling flow through said passage and adapted to be passed through said opening, the valve having a stem, and a tapered elliptical plug proportioned to pass through the opening and to seat outwardly in the opening to close it, the plug having a detachable part for guiding the stem when the plug is seated in the opening. y

3. A pump valve chamber having a. fluid passage through one wall and an opening in one wall, the opening being inwardly divergent and elliptical in cross sectional configuration, a valve controlling How through said passage and adapted to be passed tl'xrough said opening, the valve having a stem` and a tapered elliptical plug proportioned to pass through the opening and to seat outwardly in the opening to close it, the plug having a stem guide screw threaded to it.

4. A pump valve chamber having a iluid passage through one wall and an opening in one wall, the opening being inwardly divergent and elliptical in cross sectional configuration, a valve controlling flow through said passage and adapted to be passed through said opening, the valve having a stem, and a tapered elliptical plug proportioned to pass through the opening and to seat outwardly in the opening to close it, the plug having an opening through it and a stem guide carried in the opening.

5. A pump valve chamber having a fluid passage through one wall and an opening in one wall, the opening being inwardly divergent and elliptical in cross sectional conguration, a valve controlling flow through said passage and adapted to be passed through said opening, the valve having a stem, and a tapered elliptical plug proportioned to pass through the opening and to seat outwardly in the opening to close it, the plug having an opening through it and a stem guide carried in the opening, the guide being detachable from the exterior of the plug.

6. A pump valve chamber having a fluid passage through one wall and an opening in one wall, the opening being inwardly divergent and elliptical in cross sectional conliguration, a valve controlling liow through said passage and adapted to be'passed through said opening, the valve having a stem, and a tapered elliptical plug proportioned to pass through the opening and to seat outwardly in the opening to close it, the plug having an opening through it and a stem guide screw threaded in the opening.

7 A pump valve chamber having a fluid passage through one wall and an opening in one wall, the opening being inwardly divergent and elliptical in cross sectional configuration, a valve controlling low through said passage and adapted to be passed through said opening, the valve having a stem, and a tapered elliptical plug -proportioned to pass through the opening and tov seat outwardly in the opening to close it, the plug having an opening through it and a member threaded in the opening from the outer end of the plug, the member having a socket slidably receiving the stem.

8. A pump valve chamber having a fluid passage through one wall and an opening in one wall, the opening being inwardly divergent and elliptical in cross sectional configuration, a valve controlling llow through said passage and adapted to be passed through said opening, the valve having a stem and a spring around the stem, and a tapered elliptical plug proportioned to pass through the opening and to seat outwardly in the opening to close it, the plug having an opening through it to pass the spring, and a member threaded in the opening to guide the stem and form an abutment for the spring.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 17th day of May, 1928.

BERTRAM C. TRAVIS. 

